shape
carat
color
clarity

Recommended jeweler in Bay Area (San Jose, CA)

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.

Iced

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1
During my recent search for an engagement setting, I randomly picked one of several stores in the Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, CA... "Davidson & Licht".
I believed going to a jeweler in the Mall was a bad idea, and so I had already bought a diamond online...
Upon engaging the manager, Randy, in a discussion about my search and recent purchase of a loose diamond, he was extremely open and helpful. D&L offered very compettive prices as they are a dimond broker. Randy even opened up the Rapaport List (whihc establishes the defacto pricing for diamonds) in discussing diamond prices.

I wish I would have found D&L before I bought online,... go there and ask for Randy. Good luck.
 

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
31,003
Yes I also went to D&L at VF on recommendation of a happy friend who got her ring there. Plus I was curious about what their pricing and sales policies were (e.g. would they try to sell me crap). The rep I spoke with spent alot of time with me, was very helpful, and did the whole open-up-the-Rappaport-book thing for me too. I think it's supposed to try to impress you that they are not taking you for a joyride. I wasn't really impressed. I wrote down the #'s he gave (they charge 10% over Rappaport values though I am sure that is negotiable), and then went online and found the same things (with more info obviously) for around $500 cheaper. He also was surprised when I asked him if he would bring me in 3-4 stones within my parameters to view. He said..why do you need 3-4 stones, when I can just get you 1 that should fit your color, carat and clarity requirements. Well that was it! Obviously he thought I was just a basic shopper--not interested in details on the stones. Not that I wouldn't have worked with him..I might have if I wasn't into the details. But knowing what I knew, buying from a mall jeweler, or one that didn't care to show me more than 1 diamond that was G, VS2 (with no angles or any other details of course!) wasn't in the cards.

Also when we got our diamond appraised, the appraiser said it was not uncommon practice for diamonds to be sold under Rappaport value, even at 10-20% under the value. She also noted that with the advent of the internet for shopping such as this, that the B&M retailers are taking a hit, forcing them to be more competitive than the internet, or eventually lose some business. I would take everything with a grain of salt, but it's good info to have regardless.

Oh I should also note that the pricing quoted me at D&L for an H, SI1 would have been in our budget for a 1.23c...but we got a G, VS1 1.23c for less than D&L would have charged us. We still paid CA tax regardless, but it was much better in my eyes!
 

ready

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Messages
77
Mara, do you feel you received a good price for your diamond (i.e., comparable to online sources)? I'm looking at very similar stones (as you know from my post you kindly responded to yesterday about shallow cuts). I'm asking CutNut about the two I'm considering right now in a new post. I'm gonna pull the pin on one or the other by Saturday. Thanks!
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top